Combination cabinet



Oct. 14, 1952 W, ENGEL 2,614,018

coMNAToN CABINET Filed Dec. 21, 1949 2 SHEETS- SHEET 1 llllllIlIL-mlllllllllllmmllllll n l INVEN TOR. WaZZeJZ'zzgeZ.

BY E* Arrow/Er.

Oct. 14, 1952 w. ENGEL CoMBNATIoN CABINET 2. SHEETS- SHEET '2 Filed Dec. 21, 1949 IN VEN TOR. Wa Z eflfgge?.

4770/?/VEK Patented @et Mr, 195.2

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COD/lNATION CABINET Walter Engel, Wcodmere, N. Y.

Application December 2l, 1949, Serial No. 134,250

This invention relates to articlesof furniture and particularly to a combination cabinet, table and chair structure adapted for use in rooms of' limited space, such as kitchens, pantries, etc.

The prime object of the present invention is to provide a relatively inexpensive, simple and effective combination article of furniture constituting a cabinet structure with preferably Xed closed sides and top, and provided with an eX- pansible table member and independently movable chairs, and which table member and chairs are adapted to be normally housed within the cabinet interior and form closures or the eX- terior of the lower portion of the cabinet.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a cabinet structure closed at both sides and top, and wherein is arranged beneath the top a drawer compartment with drawers operative therein, and beneath the drawers an extensible table member slidably mounted in respect to the cabinet interior and provided with a supporting leg at or near the front edge thereof, and which supporting leg is adapted to extend into the cabinet interior when the table memberis in its retracted position so that the outer surface of the leg forms a part of the front of the cabinet structure, and wherein a pair of independent chairs are provided, which are adapted to bodily repose within the cabinet in symmetrical relation to the sides of the leg, and which chairs have panel-shaped backs, the latter being adapted to form, together with the front table edge and the front face of the leg, a complete closure for the lower front portion of the cabinet when the chairs and the table member are in their normal, retracted position.

A further object of this invention is the provision below the drawers of a platform which is spaced from the drawers and which is adapted to support the table member when the latter is in its retracted position, and which platform is provided with peripheral reinforcements and with a spare-out or cut-out arranged at the center front portion thereof, and which cut-out is provided with a continuous peripheral reinforcement, and in which reinforcement is operatively supported a spring-loaded locking element adapted to engage suitable recesses at the front and rear edges of the table member in either its retracted or extended position so as to prevent movement of the table member relative to the cabinet.

The foregoing and numerous other important objects and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the en- 6 Claims. (Cl. E12-235) *suing description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is aperspective view of the cabinet structure with al1 of its component, movable parts 4in their normal, retracted position;

Fig. 2 is a perspective illustration of the device with the table extended and the chairs in position for use; y

Fig. 3 is a substantially central, vertical cross section through the cabinet structure as shown in Fig. 1

Fig. 4 is a similar vertical cross section with the table member shown extended and the chairs moved somewhat outwardly; and

Fig. 5 is` an enlarged plan view of the center front portion of the table member supporting platform and aI portion of the table member.

In describing the device in detail, numeral lil denotes generally the cabinet structure which is open at the rear and has xed closing sides il and a fixed top l2, which latter is preferably provided with a rear edge reinforcement i3.

Beneath the top is a drawerl compartment Hl in which are slidably mounted drawers I5 supported by rails i6. Beneath the drawer com'- partment and spaced from the drawers isa table-member-supporting, substantially horizontal platform l1 which extends over the entire interior area of the cabinet structure, that is between the sides and between the front and back thereof, and is supported and reinforced along its edges by a frame as shown at I3. At the front center of the platform there is provided an interiorly projecting frame extension having a spare-out or cutout i9, see Fig. 5,r the edges of which are reinforced as at 20. The front portions of the reinforcement extend sidewise from the cutout reinforcement along the front edge of the platform.

Operative within the space between the drawers and platform il is a table member 2| provided at its rear edge with a stop element 22 to limit the outward movement of table member 2| when it engages framework 23 supporting drawers l5. From the front edge of table member 2l there depends a lip 24, its upper edge being flush with thek top edge of the table member.

Aligned with the center of the front edge and secured to the undersurface of the table member and the rear surface of lip 24 is a relatively slim-bodied table supporting leg 25 provided with an enlargement 26 at its upper end. At the floor-engaging end of leg 25 there will be seen an anti-friction device 21 in the form of a roller caster, which may be substituted by any'other suitable anti-friction means, and which is adapted to facilitate an easy movement of table member 2| to either its retracted or extended position, leg 25 serving as a substantial support for the extended table member. At the lowermost front end of the leg is a covering lip 28 to obscure anti-friction means 21 or render it substantially invisible.

The top enlargement 25 of leg 25 is adapted to register with the spare-out or cutout I9 provided in platform l1. Extending from the bottom surface into the body of table member 2| are sockets or recesses 29 and 30, arranged, respectively, near the front and rear edges. Operative within the front edge reinforcement of platform is a spring-loaded locking device 3|, adapted to engage recesses 2'9 and '30 when the table member is either in retracted or extended position. The side edges of the table member are guided within the cabinet and above platform l'l, as indicated at 2 I in Fig. 4.

Normally reposing within the confine of the cabinet are two independent, bodily movable chairs 32 provided with the usual leg structures 33 supporting seats 34. The backs 35 of the chairs are in the form of panels which extend at their top to below the front edge of table member 2|, or to be more exact, below the lower edge of lip 2d, while their bottom edges reach substantially to the floor, but are slightly spaced therefrom, as clearly seen in Figs. l, 3 and 4. The leg and seat portions of the chairs are intended to normally enter and to project into the cabinet interior. When the drawers, table member 2| and the chairs are in their normal position within the confine of the cabinet, the front panels of the drawers, lip 24, the front edge of leg 25 and the back panels 35 of the chairs form together a closure or facing for the entire front of the cabinet. Panels 35 of the chairs are arranged symmetrically in respect to leg 25 and their interior or adjacent edges are intended to abut the sides of the leg. By the same token, lip 24, leg 25 and panels 35 are intended to serve as mobile front or closures for the lower portion of the cabinet.

When the chairs are moved outwards and table member 2| is in its extended position, the device is ready for use by two persons, while utensils may be placed out of the way onto top |2 of the cabinet structure. Obviously, the chairs may be moved anywheres away from the cabinet and may be used individually wherever desired.

As will be noted, the lower ends of the chair legs are provided with anti-friction means 36 to facilitate their movement into and out of the cabinet interior.

The drawers as well as lip 24 and panel backs 35 of the chairs are all equipped with grips or handles 31 to facilitate their movement in respect to the cabinet.

While in the foregoing a cabinet structure of a specific form and arrangement is described, it

is quite obvious that changes and improvementsv may be incorporated therein, without departing from the broad scope of this invention of providing` a combination article of furniture in the shape and the purpose of a cabinet, but being adapted to serve as a table with independently movable chairs ready for instant use, when desired.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a combination article of furniture, a cabinet structure having a top portion, also an open front; an extension table slidablyj mounted in the structure beneath 'said top portion and having at its front edge a supporting leg provided with anti-friction means at its floor-engaging end, guide means for the side edges of said table being provided within the cabinet structure; a pair of independent chairs adapted to pass through the open cabinet front and to normally repose with their seats within the cabinet structure and beneath the table and to be disposed symmetrically in respect to said table leg, said chairs having backs extending from beneath the table to substantially the floor and being adapted to abut with their adjacent edges the side edges of said table supporting leg so that they form, in conjunction with said table leg, a closure for the front of the cabinet when the chairs are in their normal position.

2. In a combination article of furniture, an open front cabinet structure having a hollow top portion, a horizontal platform forming the bottom of the top portion, a frame supporting said platform, an extensible table operative above said platform, a leg provided with anti-friction means at its floor end associated with and serving as support for the front edge of the table, locking means in said frame for engaging the table in retracted andextended positions; a pair of independent chairs adapted to normally repose with their seats within the cabinet structure and beneath the table when the latter is in its retracted position, each chair having aback extending from beneath the front edge of the table to substantially the oor surface, the adjacent edges of the chair backs being adapted to abut the corresponding sides of the table leg and to form, together with the leg, front closures for the lower cabinet structure.

3. A combination article of furniture comprising a cabinet structure having closed, fixed sides and top and an open front and back, a platform disposed below and being spaced from the top and extending from the front to the back and between the sides of the structure and having a cutout at the front center, a reinforcement for the cutout provided along its edges and extending sidewise therefrom along the front edge of the platform; an extensible table member operative in the space between the top and the platform and provided with a stop element at its interior or rear edge and a downwardly directed lip at its front edge, a supporting leg arranged centrally and depending from the front portion of the table member and in rear of said lip and having'an enlargement at its upper end adapted to register with said cutout in the platform when the table member is in its retracted position within the cabinet structure, anti-friction means provided at the floor-engaging end of the leg, 4a cover element forming a continuation of the front surface of the leg and being adapted to obscure said anti-friction means, a locking element for the table member operative in the reinforcement of said platform, the table member having means near its front and rear edges for cooperating with said locking element to hold the table member in retracted and extended positions; a pair of independent bodily movable chairs having panelshaped backs extending from beneath the frontal lip of the table member to substantially the floor, said chairs being adapted to pass through the open front of the cabinet toward its back and to normally repose within the cabinet' structure so that their backs form closures for the lower part of that structure, said table member and the backs of the chair having gripping means for 5 facilitating their movement in respect to said cabinet structure.

4. In a cabinet open at its front and xedly closed at the sides and the top, a table member slidable beneath the top and supported by a leg at the front edge thereof, said leg being adapted to move into the confine of the cabinet when the table member is in its retracted position, a pair of chairs adapted to pass through the open cabinet front and to normally repose within, but being independently movable to without the cabinet and having panelled backs adapted to constitute, together with the table leg and the front edge of the table member, a closure for the lower portion of the cabinet when the table member is in retracted and the chairs are in their normal position.

5. In a combination article of furniture, a cabinet structure having an open front and a table guide at its upper end, an extensible table slidably mounted in said guide and having its front edge supported by a relatively slim-bodied leg. the latter being in rolling engagement with the floor surface and dividing the open front of the cabinet. and a pair of independent chairs having backs extending from substantially beneath the front edge of the table t0 substantially the floor surface, said chairs being adapted to pass through the open cabinet front, one at each side of the table leg and to normally repose within the cabinet structure and with their backs facing outwardly and so that their adjacent edges abut the sides of the table leg.

6. A combination article of furniture comprising a cabinet structure having an open front and being fixedly closed at both sides and the top, a platform spaced from and disposed beneath the top and having edge-reinforcing means, the central front portion of said reinforcing means and of said platform having a cut-out extending inwardly; an extensible table operative in the space between the top and said platform and being provided with stop means at its rear, interior edge and a downwardly directed lip at its frontal edge; a leg mounted centrally at the front edge of the table and in rear of said lip and having an enlarged upper end adapted to extend into said cut-out when the table is in retracted position, an anti-friction device associated with the floor end of the leg, the leg serving as support for the table when the latter is in extended position; table-locking means provided with said reinforcing means for rendering the table immovable in both its retracted and extended positions; a pair of independent chairs adapted to pass through said front and to normally repose with their seats within the cabinet structure, each chair having a back extending from beneath said lip at the front edge of the table to approximately the oor surfaces, the backs of both chairs, the table lip and the table leg being adapted, when the chairs and the table are disposed within the cabinet, to serve as front closures for the latter.

WALTER ENGEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 154,453 Schukat July 12, 1949 342,531 Neuenschwander May 25, 1886 518,778 Dick Apr. 24, 1894 1,281,923 Fales Oct. 15, 1918 2,461,684 Dierickx Feb. 15, 1949 

